Gaines v. Hennen

[Syllabus from pages 553-555 intentionally omitted]

THIS was an appeal from the Circuit Court of the United States for the eastern district of Louisiana.

The case had been frequently before this court in various aspects; first, in 13 Peters, 404, then in 15 Peters, 9, 2 Howard, 619, 6 Howard, 552, 15 Howard, 473. In some of these reports large extracts are made from the record, illustrating the points of law and fact then under consideration, and also the evidence in support of them. All of this past history was brought again to the notice of the court in the argument of the present case, which cannot be again recited in the present report. The reader who wishes to understand all the points which are discussed in the opinion of the court must turn back to the preceding volumes above cited, and follow the case through its successive developments. He will then be able to appreciate the concluding remark in the opinion of the court, which is as follows:

'When hereafter some distinguished American lawyer shall retire from his practice to write the history of his country's jurisprudence, this case will be registered by him as the most remarkable in the records of its courts.'

It was argued by Mr. Cushing and Mr. Perin for the appellant, and Mr. Janin and Mr. Hennen for the appellee.

The record in this case consisted of a thousand printed pages, and the records in the preceding cases were introduced, also, into this. The reporter is saved from the almost hopeless task of following the counsel through this wide range of inquiry by the minute examination of the points of the case contained in the opinion of the court and dissenting opinion of Mr. Justice CATRON.

Mr. Justice WAYNE delivered the opinion of the court.